High performance surface watercraft, such as employed by the military, are capable of sustained high-speed operation. Such speeds subject the craft and its occupants to tremendous shock accelerations and forces as the craft is buffeted by the seas. Beyond the obvious difficulties that such forces create with respect to allowing the crew to perform their necessary duties, continued exposure to such forces can be hazardous and harmful to the craft's occupants.
The U.S. Navy MKU Special Operators Craft, for example, an 82 foot high-speed vessel, has a top speed of approximately 50 knots and a range of 500 nautical miles. It has a crew of 5 and is designed to carry up to 16 fully-equipped special aquatic forces personnel in addition to other payload and equipment. When traveling in a head sea direction peak vertical accelerations of up to 8 g can be experienced as the vessel traverses the waves at a nominal speed of 35 knots in 3-foot seas. See High-Speed Craft Motions: A Case Study, K. Haupt, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Norfolk, Va. The forces generated by such accelerations can be harmful to both personnel and equipment.
It is accordingly a purpose of the present invention to provide a personnel support device capable of providing protection against and absorbing high-level shock forces, such as may be developed as a result of high-speed water transit by a surface vessel to prevent them from being transmitted to an occupant of the device.
Yet a further purpose of the present invention is to provide a personnel support device capable of preventing such high-level shocks from reaching the occupant, whether in a standing or sitting position.
Still a further purpose of the present invention is to provide such a support device which is of rugged and dependable construction, capable of performing in a marine environment, and which is adjustable to accommodate users of varying weights.